AFTER nearly two years of legal wrangling, the Federal High Court in Lagos has ruled in favour of gospel singer Sinach, affirming her as the sole author and copyright owner of her international smash hit, Way Maker.
Justice Lewis Allagoa dismissed the lawsuit brought by music producer Michael Oluwole, known professionally as Maye, who had claimed co-authorship and co-ownership of the globally renowned track.
The producer had argued that his involvement in recording, mixing, mastering, and creating instrumental accompaniments for the song entitled him to joint ownership.
He sought a court declaration recognising him as a co-owner, an order for the sharing of royalties and licensing income, and N5 billion in damages.
Court Rejects Producer’s Claims
However, Justice Allagoa held that the producer failed to prove any original creative contribution that would qualify him as a joint author under Nigerian copyright law.
The court established that Sinach had already written, composed, and even performed Way Maker before Maye was engaged solely to mix and master the recording for its commercial release in 2015.
Evidence presented showed that the producer was compensated for his studio services under an oral agreement at the time.
The judge clarified that under Nigerian copyright law, authorship belongs to the person who creates the original expressive elements of a musical work—including lyrics, melody, harmony, or arrangement.
“A producer, sound engineer, or session musician does not automatically become a co-author simply because they record, mix, master, or provide technical support,” the court ruled, “unless they can prove they contributed original expressive content to the work.”
‘Gold Digging and Unmeritorious’
The judge described the suit as “gold digging and unmeritorious” before dismissing it in its entirety.
The ruling brings a definitive end to a legal battle that has cast a shadow over one of the most successful gospel songs of the modern era.
Way Maker has been covered by countless artists worldwide and translated into multiple languages, cementing Sinach’s place as one of Nigeria’s most influential musical exports.
Speaking after the verdict, Sinach expressed gratitude to her supporters, describing the judgment as a vindication of her creative work.
